Aguilar Tone Hammer

**anyonefortennis** · #1 01-22-2008, 08:29 PM

Plenty of talk about this little box on the NAMM threads so I figured it deserves it's own thread.

What's the dirt on this unit? ETA? Street Price? What does the AGS feature do? Tuner out? Is it cut/boost or boost only? Band freq?

Any info is appreciated!

**jasonbraatz** · #2 01-22-2008, 08:40 PM

Here's what DaveB said about it when I asked him about the new stuff in the pipeline a few months ago...

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveB

Hey Jason,

Yes, it can drive a power amp. It will have input gain, treble boost/cut, sweepable mid freq., mid boost/cut, bass boost/cut, master volume
Also a boost circuit that really shapes the whole character of the tone, so you can get from pristine to a pretty aggresive tone. D.I., pre/post, 1/4" out
......headphone use, maybe not depending on the headphone impedence. Not one of the design goals.
It's a cool little box, IMHO.

I'm thinking the boost circuit is the AGS.

According to Tom Bowlus it runs off of a pair of 9volts, DC, or Phantom Power.

~$200 street price.

ME WANTIE.

1kinal · #3 01-22-2008, 09:17 PM

Looks like a very useful tool!

I have a few questions for Dave B. or anybody who might have the info:

-Does the DI has a Jensen transformer?
-Is there a tube in the Tone Hammer?

bongomania · #4 01-22-2008, 09:32 PM

I would doubt both of those, as (a) a Jensen is a feature most makers would advertise, and (b) the similar AGRO is solid-state.

Edit: I've just learned that it has nothing to do with the AGRO, whoops!

**jasonbraatz** · #5 01-22-2008, 09:49 PM

Yeah, if it runs off of a pair of nine-volts, it doesn't have a tube. It's based off of the OBP-3.

For the Jensen who knows: I don't think they're using the AG500's DI as that thing goes kerplowie if it gets phantom power.

**anyonefortennis** · #6 01-23-2008, 11:57 AM

Very excited to try one of these!

**jasonbraatz** · #7 01-23-2008, 12:43 PM

$195, 6-8 weeks out.

Wilbyman · #8 01-23-2008, 01:06 PM

Nice info guys...this unit looks really cool...(howabout an onboard version!)...any info on the Lil' Jack?

Detonation · #9 01-23-2008, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wilbyman

...this unit looks really cool...(howabout an onboard version!)...

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonbraatz

Yeah, if it runs off of a pair of nine-volts, it doesn't have a tube. It's based off of the OBP-3.

Seems the onboard version is there already

NKUSigEp · #10 01-23-2008, 01:16 PM

Did I hear mention of the Tone Hammer having a saturation/distortion circuit?

joel the bass player · #11 01-23-2008, 01:22 PM

I want one of these. Looks to be a swiss army type tool that would serve as a good di and a backup. Good price to boot. Would be nice to have a passive Jazz bass to go along with it. One can only hope. I know I brought it up in the other thread and it was doubtful, but what exactly is meant by headphones depending on impedance? Just curious, and assume that I might have to wait to get one of these in my hands to find out. Thanks for the info!

bongomania · #12 01-23-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKUSigEp

Did I hear mention of the Tone Hammer having a saturation/distortion circuit?

I said that, but I was mistaken. It's apparently capable of being driven to the point of dirt, but not being a distortion effect per se.

bongomania · #13 01-23-2008, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joel the bass player

I know I brought it up in the other thread and it was doubtful, but what exactly is meant by headphones depending on impedance?

Every audio processor has an output impedance and/or an input impedance. Impedance can be viewed as how efficiently or inefficiently a signal will transmit from one device to the next. If the output impedance of the preamp is way off from whatever would be optimal for the input impedance of your particular headphones, the signal will not transmit well.

**jasonbraatz** · #14 01-23-2008, 02:06 PM

Right, it isn't designed to put out the kind of power needed to drive headphones, and there isn't a headphone out, but some headphones might still work.

joel the bass player · #15 01-23-2008, 02:25 PM

I just wanted to know if there was a certain impedance for headphones that would work with it. Would be great if it did, otherwise I'll have to spend more on a different portable solution. In the meantime I'll just hook up my headphones to my little Fender combo. The wife gets bothered by my noodling sometimes.

**jasonbraatz** · #16 01-23-2008, 02:38 PM

Tone Hammer + an Earwig is still cheaper than something like a MicroBassII!

**KJung** · #17 01-23-2008, 02:40 PM

You know, I buy all this stuff called 410UL, LMII, HT210s... what a bunch of girly sounding stuff....

... I think I'm ready for the TONE HAMMER

**tombowlus** · #18 01-23-2008, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonbraatz

I'm thinking the boost circuit is the AGS.

According to Tom Bowlus it runs off of a pair of 9volts, DC, or Phantom Power.

~$200 street price.

ME WANTIE.

There is no reason not to get this box. It sounds great, has a very useful tone stack (love the parametric mids), allows for some nice grit/grind, functions as a DI (with pre/post EQ), runs on whatever power you have available, and it seems to be built very well.

That street price really surprised me, too. I hate to say it, but I told both Daves that they should charge more for the Tone Hammer!

Tom.

**tombowlus** · #19 01-23-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NKUSigEp

Did I hear mention of the Tone Hammer having a saturation/distortion circuit?

Yes, that is the AGS circuit. It sounded pretty good, but is not as aggressive as the Aggro (go figure

).

pedroferreira · #20 01-23-2008, 03:20 PM

It seems that it don't have a tuner out with a mute switch.

Would be a nice function.

Pedro